2016 Gala

Check out the excitement!

Honoring Ron Suskind, Producer of Life, Animated, Best-Selling Author, and Father

The Arc of Massachusetts, the Commonwealth’s leading disability advocacy organization, honored Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and best-selling author Ron Suskind at its 2016 Gala. Ron has written several important works of nonfiction, including Life, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes and Autism, which chronicles his family’s twenty-year struggle with their son Owen’s autism. The book is the foundation of Life, Animated, a film which Ron produced.

Ron, Owen, and the entire Suskind family have made significant contributions to the understanding of autism through their creative use of Disney films to communicate with Owen. Owen found a pathway to communication through his passion for Disney animation.

To kick off our evening of activities, guests were invited to a screening of Life, Animated and to participate in a brief question and-answer period with Ron. Following the film, guests moved to the Grand Ballroom for the cocktail reception and silent auction. This was followed by a seated dinner, with a presentation honoring Ron and Owen, and a live auction.

Master of Ceremonies: Chris McKinnon, Anchor of WBZ-TV News’ weekday morning and noon newscasts

Chris joined WBZ-TV News from KWTV News 9 in Oklahoma City, OK where he was a general assignment reporter since October 2011. Prior to KWTV, he was an anchor/reporter for KREX-TV in Grand Junction, CO.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please contact Katrin Aback, Director of Development, at aback@arcmass.org or 781-891-6270 x6105.

“Passion as Pathway™” used with permission by The Affinity Project, Inc. Image courtesy of Life Animated Doc LLC, used with permission.

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